Gunmen kill 10 soldiers in Egypt's Sinai

Cairo, April 2 (IANS) At least 10 soldiers were killed and 17 others wounded in several armed attacks on checkpoints in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Thursday, security sources said.

Unidentified militants fired automatic rifles and rockets on Qaber Omir and Kharouba checkpoints on the road leading to Sheikh Zuweid city, a military source told Xinhua news agency on condition of anonymity.

Following the attacks, the Arish-Sheikh Zuweid road was sealed off, and security forces, with the help of Apache helicopters, searched the area, killing at least 15 alleged terrorists, the source added.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Sinai Peninsula has seen a spate of attacks on security forces since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi by the army in 2013 in response to mass protests against his rule.

Hundreds of police and army personnel were killed in the attacks, the responsibility for most of which were claimed by Sinai-based Ansar Bayet al-Maqdes group.